UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
CALOOCAN
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TESTING
EXPERIMENT No. 1
SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND ABSORPTION OF COARSE AGGREGATE

Purpose
To determine the specific gravity and absorption of coarse aggregate. The
specific gravity may be expressed as bulk specific gravity, bulk specific gravity
SSD (saturated-surface dry), or apparent specific gravity.

Significance and Use

Bulk specific gravity is generally used for the calculation of the volume
occupied by the aggregate in various mixtures containing aggregates,
including portland cement concrete, bituminous concrete and other mixtures
that are proportioned or analysed on an absolute volume basis. Bulk specific
gravity SSD is used if the aggregate is wet. Absorption values are used to
calculate the change in the weight of aggregate due to water absorbed in the
pore spaces within the constituent particles, compared with the dry condition.

Apparatus
Balance accurate to 0.05% of the sample weight of 0.5 g, whichever is
greater
Wire basket 3.35 mm (No. 6) or finer mesh
Water tank
75 mm (No. 4) sieve

Test Specimens
Thoroughly mix the aggregate sample and reduce it to the approximate
quantity needed.
Reject all materials passing 4.74 mm sieve by dry sieving and
thoroughly washing to remove dust or other coatings from the surface.

Test Procedure
1. Immerse the aggregate in water at room temperature for a period of 24
4 hours.
2. Remove the latest test specimen from water and roll in a large
absorbent cloth until all visible films of water are removed. Wipe the
larger particles individually.
3. Weigh the test sample in saturated surface-dry condition, and record it
as B. Record this weight and all subsequent weights to the nearest 0.5 g
or 0.05% of the sample weight, whichever is greater.
4. Place the specimen in the wire basket and determine its weight while it
is submerged in water at a temperature of 23 1.7 degree Celsius, and
record it as C. Take care to remove all entrapped air before weighing it
by shaking the container while it is immersed.
5. Dry the test sample to a constant weight at a temperature of 110 5
degree Celsius, and weigh it and record this weight as A.

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Analysis and Results

1. Bulk specific gravity =
Where

A /( BC)

A = mass of oven-dry sample in air, g.

B = mass of saturated surface-dry sample in air, g.
C = mass of saturated sample in water, g.

B /(BC )

2. Bulk specific gravity (SSD) =

3. Apparent specific gravity =
4. Absorption, % =

A /( AC)

B A
100
A

Report
1. Show step by step computation
2. Observation
3. Recommendation
4. Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

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Specific gravity is a measure of a materials density (mass per

unit volume) as compared to the density of water at 73.4F (23C).
Therefore, by definition, water at a temperature of 73.4F (23C) has a
specific gravity of 1.
Absorption, which is also determined by the same test procedure,
is a measure of the amount of water that an aggregate can absorb into
its pore structure. Pores that absorb water are also referred to as water
permeable voids.
Specific Gravity Use
Aggregate specific gravity is used in a number of applications
including Superpave mix design, deleterious particle indentification and
separation, and material property change identification.
Superpave Mix Design
Superpave mix design is a volumetric process; it relies on mixing
constituent materials on the basis of their volume. However, aggregate
and asphalt binder volumes are diffucult to measure directly, therefore a
materials weight is typically measured and then converted to a volume
based on its specific gravity. Correct and accurate material specific
gravity determinations are vital to proper mix design. An incorrect
specific gravity value will result in incorrect calculated volumes and
ultimately result in an incorrect mix design.
Material Contamination Indicator and Separator
Specific gravity can also indicate possible material contamination.
For instance, deleterious particles are often lighter than aggregate
particles and therefore, a large amount of deleterious material in an
Differences in specific gravity can also be used to separate
deleterious, or bad, particles from aggregate particles using a heavy
media liquid. Water absorption can also be an indicator of asphalt
absorption.
Material Change Indicator
Finally, specific gravity differences can be used to indicate a
possible material change. A change in aggregate mineral or physical
properties can result in a change in specific gravity. For instance, if a
quarry operation constantly monitors the specific gravity of its output
aggregate, a change in specific gravity beyond that normally expected

could indicate the quarrying has moved into a new rock formation with
significantly different mineral or physical properties.
Aggergate Absorption Use
Aggregate absorption is the increase in mass due to water in the
pores of the material. Aggregate absorption is a useful quality because:
High values can indicate non-durable aggregate.
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Absorption can indicate the amount of asphalt binder the aggregate will
absorb.
It is generally desirable to avoid highly absorptive aggregate in
HMA. This is because asphalt binder that is absorbed by the aggregate is
not available to coat the aggregate particle surface and is therefore not
available for bonding. Therefore, highly absorptive aggregates (often
specified as over 5 percent absorption) require more asphalt binder to
develop the same film thickness as less absorptive aggregates making
the resulting HMA more expensive.
Aggregate Specific Gravity Types
Several different types of specific gravity are commonly used
depending upon how the volume of water permeable voids (or pores)
within the aggregate are addressed.
Apparent Specific Gravity, Gsa.
The volume measurement only includes the volume of the
aggregate particle; it does not include the volume of any water
permeable voids. The mass measurement only includes the aggregate
particle. Apparent specific gravity is intended to only measure the
specific gravity of the solid volume, therefore it will be the highest of the
aggregate specific gravities. It is formally defined as the ratio of the
mass of a unit volume of the impermeable portion of aggregate (does
not include the permeable pores in aggregate) to the mass of an equal
volume of gas-free distilled water at the stated temperature.
Bulk Specific Gravity (Bulk Dry Specific Gravity), Gsb.
The volume measurement includes the overall volume of the
aggregate particle as well as the volume of the water permeable voids.
The mass measurement only includes the aggregate particle. Since it
includes the water permeable void volume, bulk specific gravity will be

less than apparent specific gravity. It is formally defined as the ratio of

the mass of a unit volume of aggregate, including the water permeable
voids, at a stated temperature to the mass of an equal volume of gasfree distilled water at the stated temperature.
Bulk Saturated Surface Dry (SSD) Specific Gravity.
Volume measurement includes the overall volume of the
aggregate particle as well as the volume of the water permeable voids.
The mass measurement includes the aggregate particle as well as the
water within the water permeable voids. It is formally defined as the
ratio of the mass of a unit volume of aggregate, including the weight of
water within the voids filled to the extent achieved by submerging in
water for approximately 15 hours, to the mass of an equal volume of
gas-free distilled water at the stated temperature.
Effective Specific Gravity, Gse.
Volume measurement includes the volume of the aggregate
particle plus the void
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volume that becomes filled with water during the test soak period minus 0
the volume of the voids that absorb asphalt. Effective specific gravity
lies between apparent and bulk specific gravity. It is formally defined as
the ratio of the mass in air of a unit volume of a permeable
material (excluding voids permeable to asphalt) at a stated temperature
to the mass in air (of equal density) of an equal volume of gas-free
distilled water at a stated temperature. Effective specific gravity is
determined by a different procedure and is not covered in this section.

ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

AFTER SIEVE
WEIGHT OF PAN
WEIGHT OF AGGREGATES WITH
PAN
TOTAL WEIGHT OF AGGREGATES

347.60
19581.
10
19233.
50

A
B
MASS OF SATURATED SURFACE-DRY
SAMPLE IN AIR
WEIGHT OF PAN
WEIGHT OF AGGREGATES WITH PAN

(grams
)
366.80
1961.00

TOTAL WEIGHT OF AGGREGATES

1594.20

C
MASS OF SATURATED SAMPLE IN
WATER
WEIGHT OF PAN
WEIGHT OF AGGREGATES WITH PAN
TOTAL WEIGHT OF AGGREGATES

(gram
s)
1298.
10
2325.
60
1027.
50

BULK SPECIFIC GRAVITY

Bulk specific gravity

A
( BC)

A
(1594.20 g1027.50 g)

=
=
BULK SPECIFIC GRAVITY (SSD)
Bulk specific gravity (SSD)

B
( BC)

1594.20 g
(1594.20 g1027.50 g)

=
=

2.813
5
1
0

APPARENT SPECIFIC GRAVITY

Apparent specific gravity =
=

A
( AC)
A
( A1027.50 g)

=
ABSORPTION, %
Absorption

OBSERVATION

[
[

B A
x 100
A

1594.20 g A
x 100
A

Aggregates have different shapes, sizes and weight. As we

strained the aggregates in
sieve number 4, some aggregates were filtered and some of the waters
it has from soaking it
at 20 hours was infiltrated. There should be an equal force applied on
shaking the sieve so it
will be precisely filtered.

RECOMMENDATION
First, you need to wear your laboratory gloves.
Second, you need to have complete materials in doing your
experiments, so you will
be able to measure it continuously and you can weigh it again for you to
see its real weight.
Third, it is most recommended that you use one weight of the pan
that you will be
use in weighing the aggregates.
Fourth, you need to record your gathered data as youve done on
measuring its
weight.

CONCLUSION
We therefore conclude that the mass of the aggregates differ
when it is in water
where it is saturated, in air where it is saturated surface - dry and in air
where it is over dry.

DOCUMENTATION
MATERIALS

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AGGREGATES

PAN

OVEN

(75mm) SIEVE NO. 4

USED CLOTHES/RUGS

WATER TANK
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WEIGHING SCALE

WIRE BASKET 3.35 mm

(No. 6) OR FINER MESH

PROCEDURE
IMMERSE THE AGGREGATE IN WATER AT TEMPERATURE FOR A PERIOD OF 24
PLUS OR MINUS 4 HOURS. THEN,

FILTER THE AGGREGATES

RUB THE AGGREGATES THEN,

WEIGH THE PAN

WEIGH THE AGGREGATES W/

PAN
SEPARATE IT

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WEIGH THE WIRE BASKET ON WATER

PUT THE AGGREGATES ON WIRE BASKET IN WATER TO HAVE ITS WEIGHT

NCE 414

SPECIFICE GRAVITY AND ABSORPTION OF COARSE AGGREGATE

3 CET

9
1
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TRANSFER THE AGGREGATES

IN A PAN

PLACE IT IN AN OVEN

OVEN TEMPERATURE THEN GET ITS WEIGHT

NCE 414

SPECIFICE GRAVITY AND ABSORPTION OF COARSE AGGREGATE 0 1

3 CET
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